


the valiant never taste of death but once

by DeathShipper



Category: Much Ado About Nothing (2011), Much Ado About Nothing - Shakespeare
Genre: Angst, F/M, First Kiss, Hurt No Comfort, Last Kiss, This is sad okay, i made myself sad writing this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:35:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23241070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathShipper/pseuds/DeathShipper
Summary: What if Benedick and Claudio's duel had happened?
Relationships: Beatrice/Benedick (Much Ado About Nothing)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 32





	1. the valiant never taste of death but once

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lady_of_the_Spirit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_of_the_Spirit/gifts).



> I was in the mood for something angsty so I wrote this, it has been sitting in my documents for a while now and I've decided to post it.  
> Title is a quote from Shakespeare.

_Breathe._

Slash. Dodge. Slash again. Block. Strike back. 

His sword made a whooshing sound as it cut through the air and slashed Claudio’s cheek. Claudio’s blade missed his shoulder by an inch. 

_Clang._

The impact of the swords reverberated through Benedick’s arm.

Hurried footsteps could be heard and a group of men led by Constable Dogberry came through the courtyard’s doors. The man knocked over two potted plants and one footman in his hurry. The mediator called the duel to a halt.

Benedick lowered his sword; he shouldn’t have.

Claudio was suddenly a lot closer, his free hand holding Benedick by the shoulder and his sword running through Benedick’s torso. Time slowed to a crawl and for a moment he felt nothing at all. 

He looked down. Claudio drew back his blade and blood started pouring out from the wound. Sensation returned to him as if he had been struck by lightning. He felt hot all over. Then the pain kicked in. It overpowered him, he dropped his sword, the resulting clang of the blade hitting the ground filled the ambient and nobody dared to draw a breath.

Someone screamed; a sharp cry that made his blood run cold. After a moment he realized it had been him. His legs failed him and he collapsed. 

Around him, people were startled back to reality and ran about in a flurry of activity. Claudio left the square, leaving Benedick lying alone. 

The chill refused to subside; he was cold now, so, so cold. He was shivering. His vision was blurred around the edges and his body was crying in agony.

He was going to die.

The thought dawned on him and suddenly the pain felt nothing compared to the crippling grip of failure. Lady Hero’s honour wouldn’t be restored, he had failed her. _He had failed Beatrice._

Sweet Beatrice, oh how he wished he could see her again. He could picture her eyes perfectly, their beautiful green-blue mix and that lovely ring of gold around her pupils; hear her voice calling his name. _Benedick._

“Benedick!” 

Warm hands touched his shoulders and he opened his eyes. 

She was there.

_Beatrice was there._

Her hair gleamed beautifully in the sunlight and her eyes shined with tears. 

“Benedick, listen to me! Don’t you dare die on me now.” Her voice was raised but she struggled to get the words through the lump in her throat.

“Beatrice.” He managed to choke out. “I’m sorry, I failed thee.” His eyes were heavy.

“No, no, no, you didn’t. Benedick, stay with me, _don’t close your eyes._ ” 

He forced himself to focus on her. She was the most beautiful lady he had ever looked upon, truly he couldn’t wish for a better sight to be his last.

“Beatrice.”

“Shh, don’t speak, just stay awake, help is coming.” She was still weeping; her tears fell on his chest.

“Beatrice… a last kiss for a dying man?” He pleaded in between gasps.

“No, thou art not dying, not today.” 

“Please.”

She didn’t answer, but gently cradled his face within her hands and brought her lips down to his. It was a chaste kiss but for Benedick, it held more meaning than could be put into words. 

She drew back and Benedick looked into her eyes again. He smiled. 

“I love thee.” 

He couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore, the world went black and Beatrice’s voice was the last thing he heard. 

“And I thee, Benedick, I love thee with all my heart.”


	2. but the lovers may taste of it twice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more angst!

It was raining when they buried him. 

It had been raining the day he died too. Beatrice remembered seeing the raindrops fall on his chest along with her tears. 

As if the skies themselves were mourning. 

Beatrice wished she was being buried along with him. She wished the ground would swallow her whole and send her off to burn in Hell with the damned. She deserved it, she had killed a man. Oh, it had been Claudio's sword that had gone through him, but it had been Beatrice who had sent him along to meet it. 

She had been so blind at the time, she couldn't see past her anger and sadness. Seething with righteous fury at how her beloved cousin had been so dreadfully wronged, she hadn't understood just what she was asking of the man who had just sworn his love to her. The danger she was asking him to put himself into for her. The emotional suffering, she was asking him to kill one of his best friends. 

The guilt was her constant companion now. It was the thoughts in her head, the weight on her shoulders, the ache in her bones, the very air she breathed. And the pain too, ever-present, all-encompassing. A pain in her chest, a crushing pressure on her heart that she felt so strongly she was awed it still beat. 

Her family had tried to steer her out of her state. They didn't succeed. 

She had managed a small smile when Hero got married. Not to Claudio, Beatrice had seen to his punishment herself, but to a better man. One that loved her unconditionally, treasured her above all else, and, most importantly, made her happy. Beatrice was happy for them, truly, but she couldn't help but think it could have been her, and him. Her brave soldier. 

If you asked her Beatrice wouldn't be able to tell how she was going on. And eventually, she wasn't.

In the end, she went just like him. With a sword through her. A fight had gotten out of hand in the marketplace that day, and she had been caught in the middle of it. 

As she fell and laid down on the floor, she gradually lost sensation. She could barely feel the stone beneath her, or indeed her fatal wound. She looked up at the sky, wondering if there was anything waiting for her on the other side. Or someone. 

And her heart stopped beating.

_"My dear Lady Disdain, how I have missed thee."_


End file.
